By Richelle Sutton
You may have seen the movies or read the books, but Disney’s Freaky Friday the Musical is a hot new take on the classic story, performed by the Four Seasons Theatre Company at Sky View High School in Smithfield, Utah. This new musical was written just a few years ago by Bridget Carpenter, with music and lyrics provided by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey. Its first run began in Arlington, Virginia, in 2016, and the musical recently opened up licensing for all theatres in 2018. In the program, Kody Rash (director and artistic director) mentions briefly how the company fell in love with the music of this production and waited excitedly for the rights to become available, saying, “Like each of its previous incarnations, Freaky Friday teaches the lessons of empathy and understanding, grief and loss, friendship and forgiveness, family relationships, [and] the struggles and triumphs of blended families.”
If you are like me, having seen some incarnation of the Freaky Friday story before, you will expect to see the strained relationship of a mother and daughter that is going downhill fast. It seems to get worse when said mother (Katherine) and daughter (Ellie) end up switching bodies on the eve of Katherine’s wedding. However, both are forced to walk in each other’s shoes (literally) and understand one another in order to regain their own bodies and mend their broken relationship.
What you’re not going to get in the movies or the books is this production’s talented cast and amazing set and light design. The energy from the whole ensemble is invigorating to watch as they step through catchy songs like “Oh, Biology,” “Busted,” and “No More Fear.” Rachel Saltmarsh (Ellie) and Celeste Baillio (Katherine) each do a wonderful job at depicting both a rebellious adolescent and overbearing mother. It wasn’t hard for me to believe that their characters switch bodies. Saltmarsh and Baillio both have strong voices that carry this musical’s power ballads beautifully. One of my favorite parts was the battle scene during “No More Fear” as I watched each of the characters in the background during Rachel’s asides. Apart from being funny and well-choreographed by Annalyse Chidester and Staci Nemelka, each ensemble member has a distinct character that is fun to watch. I also loved the interaction between Fletcher (played by Danny Phillips) and Adam (played by Kyle Pyfer) in the song “Women and Sandwiches”; they play off of each other easily while delivering a heartwarming song.
The stage design by Danny Rash is both simple and innovative in creating the settings for the musical. I smiled seeing the set for the first time as I sat down in the theatre: a trendy kitchen surrounded by vivid blue lights. I loved seeing how easily the sets change from scene to scene—like the kitchen appliances turning into school lockers. The use of the turntable to denote the iconic body switching and to accentuate key character points is small but profound. The costumes (designed by Kody Rash and Kim Rash) are colorful and add to the joyful, uplifting message of the musical. The pop of color from the lighting design (Chase Cook) also adds life to the fast-paced, quirky songs and story.
This production of Freaky Friday the Musical at Sky View High School in Smithfield, Utah, is a party filled with song and dance suitable for any age. The sweet message of love for family and friends sinks deep into the heart and reminds me of the reason why this story keeps coming up again and again. The Four Seasons Theatre Company does well in showing that we can all do a little more to strengthen the relationships we have with each other.
Four Seasons Theatre Company presents Disney’s Freaky Friday the Musical, Book by Bridget Carpenter, Music by Tom Kitt, and Lyrics by Brian Yorkey, Based on the novel Freaky Friday by Mary Rodger and the Disney films.
Sky View High School, 520 South 250 East, Smithfield, UT 84335
October 4, 5, 7, 8, 10-12, 14, 2019, 7:30 PM
Tickets: $12 online, $14 by phone or at the door, $9 for groups of 20 or more if paid for online
Four Seasons Theatre Company Website
Four Seasons Theatre Facebook Page
Freaky Friday Facebook Event
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